


let's talk about death over some pie, yeah?

by insincerelypluto



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Mentions of Death, One Shot, Slice of Life, our girls are tired give them a raise, power of friendship so strong they bake, spoiler: they don't actually end up eating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-02-22 22:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23967886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insincerelypluto/pseuds/insincerelypluto
Summary: Makoto has never been a stranger to Death. Hell, by now they were basically childhood friends who grew up on the same goddamn street.Even so, every “last” breath taken was just another tally on the scoreboard, reminding her that eventually Death would collect old debts.
Relationships: Kino Makoto & Mizuno Ami
Kudos: 13





	let's talk about death over some pie, yeah?

Room 201 | Kino Makoto 

She slumps against her door frame and silently prays that the old lady down the hall isn't peeping at her trying — and failing — to unlock the door. Makoto is almost certain that the 74 year old thinks she's in a gang, more specifically a mobster undercover as a student. At least those were the whispers she had picked up from the elevator when she went to pay the landlord last month's rent. Of course she can't exactly blame the elder for thinking such things. Makoto usually stumbles home after youma attacks looking like she got beaten to a pulp, which happens more often than not.

After two minutes of struggling, the lock finally clicks and she rushes in, slamming the door shut with more force than intended. With a wince she glances at the clock on the wall reading well past 10 PM. Hopefully there won't be a phone call in the morning about a noise complaint. Slipping her shoes off, she flips the nearest switches and light illuminates her small apartment. 

Makoto runs on autopilot, dumping her belongings on the couch and shuffling to the bathroom down the hall. Pulling the elastic band out from her signature ponytail, she makes a mental note to water the plants before heading off to bed. She doesn't bother looking in the mirror she already knows she's sporting a partial black eye and a busted lip. Discarding her clothes on the tile she turns on the shower and adjusts the water temperature getting it just right before actually stepping in. 

Without a doubt, the worst part about being a Sailor Senshi is the post battle state their bodies end up in. From experience she already knows that once the hot water hits the bruises littering her left side, it'll sting like hell. But there's no point in putting off the inevitable, she grabs her loofah and hisses stepping inside. Predictably it hurts like hell, but she's had far worse. 

Lathering shampoo in her hair Makoto figures it's a bearable punishment, to suffer through these minor injuries. She can't even count on her hand the amount of times she and her fellow senshi have cheated Death. Granted they carry a heavy burden, protecting their princess alongside all of Earth. Yet, there's always a bitter taste in her mouth when she lingers on these thoughts. How can it possibly be fair for her to shake the grim reapers hand time and time again only to return and continue as if nothing happened? 

Rose scented shampoo drips past her stubby eyelashes and burns her eyes upon contact. The urge to wail like Usagi gets forced down quickly, instead she opts to frantically rub her eyes to subdue the pain. But tonight is a night of unfortunate events and Makoto embarrassingly slips on soapy water, bashing her head against the rim of the showers tub. 

“Ow!”

Pain blossoms inside her skull and she darkly humors the idea of dying this way. How stupid it would be for her, a senshi with superhuman strength, to die naked in the shower because of an accidental slip. Compared to having her soul snatched by a demon or dying at the hands of an ancient witch who holds a grudge, slipping in the shower would be most normal way for her to kick the bucket. 

Sometimes Makoto wonders how it'll all turn out in the end, what it'll be like when Death finally rips the carpet from underneath her. Maybe she was always destined to take her last breath in battle, the same way she did all those years ago during the Silver Millennium. Perhaps it'll be an ordinary accident, one she'll never see coming until it's too late. Just like the plane crash that took her parents but miraculously spared her. 

By now her skin is on the verge of turning pruney so stands and rushes through the rest of her shower routine. Gentling massaging the conditioner in her hair she takes caution to not have another mishap, she really doesn't need another throbbing bump on her head. When she's finally shuts the water off, she stands in the shower and inhales the steamy air. Only the occasional drip from the showerhead adds noise in the otherwise quiet atmosphere. 

A firm round of knocks echo through the apartment and Makoto hesitates, she hardly gets visitors besides the girls and they always give a heads up before hand. Not even bothering to towel dry she slips on the robe that she bought from the store down the street and exits the bathroom. The clock changes to 11:11 and she really hopes it isn't a certain neighbor complaining at this ungodly hour. Pushing her coppery bangs up she looks through the peep hole and sighs in relief. 

She opens the door before another round of knocks can alert the entire hall and pulls her visitors inside in record time. “Ami,” Makoto looks down at the blue haired genius, then gestures to her right shoulder where a black cat resides, “Luna. It's a little late, yeah?”

A sheepish smile spreads on Ami's face and she whispers an apology. Two large colorful bandaids bring attention to her face, one slanted against her chin and the other placed above her brow. The senshi of wisdom looks worse for wear, and Makoto feels bad for lightly scolding her friend. 

“We didn't mean to intrude Makoto,” says Luna with a yawn. The black cat jumps down from Ami's shoulder and lands on the floor with a soft thud. She stretches and gives another yawn. “Could I please have some water?”

Makoto nods and silently leads them to her kitchen, where she pulls out two glasses and one disposable styrofoam cup. Filling all three with filtered water she places the foam cup infront of Luna on the floor. Despite loving the sassy cat dearly, she still prefers to have her off the kitchen counters where she cooks. Ami finishes her glass first and moves to wash it, but Makoto waves her off and places the glass in the sink alongside her own. 

“I really didn't realize how late it was.” Ami glances at the time and tucks a piece of hair behind her pierced ear. Following the movement, Makoto can't recall a time when the others hair wasn't short. Trimmed practically to perfection, her dark blue hair naturally curls just above her shoulders. A faint blush tints Ami's cheeks then and she averts her eyes from Makoto. “I just wanted to make sure that you're alright. I know today's run-in with that youma was _intense._ ”

‘Intense’ isn't exactly the word Makoto would use to describe today's encounter. Utterly tragic is what it was. When a good hearted trip to the shopping district turned south, the girls all pulled together to take down the most powerful youma they've ever dealt with, and they fucking lost. The bastard had runway but created enough damage to send hundreds of people to the hospital, several of which were critical. The news had bashed them afterwards saying: _‘The Sailor Guardians should have taken more precautions! Their failure in capturing these monsters are becoming more frequent, if they're going to parade around in skirts, let them join a dance club!’_

Upon hearing such insults from the media, Luna and Artemis had to intervene before Rei and Minako could set fire to every news station in Japan. Makoto had demanded an apology and wanted to pumble the archerman who kept making sexist comments. Even those who were usually more passive to the harsh criticism they typically received, where aggravated and gave choiceful words when they departed from the Hikawa Shrine. 

Makoto blinks, processing her emotions has never been easy but she figures her friend came all this way, the least she could do is attempt communicating. She looks to Ami and shrugs her shoulders, “Do you wanna bake a pie?”

Luna looks up, now finished with her own water and meows, “It's late Makoto and more importantly it's a school night!”

“Don't take this the wrong way Luna, but why are you here?” Makoto deadpans.

A low growl escapes the black cat, ears turned down. “You're sounding just like Usagi! Always so rude!” She paces the kitchen tile and begins rambling. “I went to Ami's because Usagi is spending the night with Naru-chan and her mother's allergic to cats! Artemis is with Minako probably making sure she doesn't hunt down that news reporter! And Ami was worried so we came here!” Her paws come to halt and she looks up to them, slits in her yellow eyes. “If you fail that quiz in math tomorrow. I don't want to hear any whining about the afterschool tutoring!”

Makoto knows the threat of failing the quiz is directed at her, multiple times in the past she's had to stay after school alongside Usagi and Minako. Fake pondering with a hum, she figures the chaotic blondes didn't even bother studying themselves. Besides, her current exhaustion has nothing to do with the lack of sleep she's been getting. She looks to Ami and raises an eyebrow, hoping she'll take the bait and not force the importance of education on her again.

A small smile graces Ami's face, and she rolls up her sleeves. “What kind of pie?”

“Cherry, of course!”

It's no secret that Makoto has an arsenal of recipes memorized by heart, but her absolute favorite is one she stumbled upon by chance. When she returns to the kitchen wearing sweats and a t-shirt, she hands Ami the orignal recipe. The faded yellow paper has indentations from being folded and unfolded so many times, Makoto's blessed it hasn't torn. She washes her hands and begins pulling out the ingredients and utensils they'll need. 

“This handwriting is practically perfect,” Ami says off handedly. Her fingers delicately rub over the indentations of the words, something Makoto herself has done countless of times even when not baking. 

Makoto starts measuring the flour and hums softly. “That's my moms handwriting. I found the recipe in a box of their belongings.” Sprinkling baking power into the mixing bowl she adds, “I believe it was her favorite. I remember a distance relative telling me that.” 

Ami doesn't press for more, instead she works on mixing the wet ingredients into another bowl. They work in comfortable silence for a short while, both working on separate parts of the crust. “Sometimes I wish my mother would bake with me, or even just have dinner with me.” There's no spite when Ami says this, and her voice doesn't change when she says, “But I know her job is important. She's the doctor I'm striving to be.”

Makoto doesn't respond right away, instead she combines both mixing bowls and forms the dough. A small terrible part of her wants to say, _‘Well at least you still have your mom!’_ but that wouldn't be fair. She knows that each senshi carries their own family issues, picking on Ami would just make her a jerk. 

“Do you ever think about how we should be dead right now?” Makoto pounds her fist in the dough, there's an edge to her voice. “When we went up against Beryl and the Dark Kingdom we died, then came right back. Even before then, during the Silver Millennium we got lucky and Queen Serenity sent us to be reincarnated.” She wipes her hands on her apron and sighs. “How is it fair, that we keep coming back, when people who are just as deserving die every day?”

The kitchen falls into a heavy silence and Ami looks down at the recipe again. Her blue eyes look over the words as if she's trying to decrypt a secret message. “It isn't—”

“Of course it isn't fair, it was never supposed to be!” Both girls turn to Luna, who lays comfortably on her belly on the sofa. “Your purpose is to protect your princess, each other, and anyone else you deem worthy! As Sailor Senshi you carry the heaviest burden, but you all agreed to this. I know that doesn't make it any better.” Luna's ears turn down again and the moon crescent on her forehead glows dimly. “I awoke both of you and the others. I forced you all to remember, and nothing I say or do will ever make up for depriving you all of normal lives.”

Makoto's heart breaks watching the black cat beat herself up over something no one held a grudge on. She was right, they took an oath and the universe never forgot its promise. 

“You know, I don't really mind this life,” Ami says gently moving next to sofa. She stifles a yawn and starts to pat Luna with her other hand. “The hardships we face are difficult and most will never understand. But being a soldier means to shoulder the pain for others, and for me it's more bearable alongside all of you.”

Processing the words Makoto hums and goes back to rolling the dough. By the time she's done lining the pie tray, Ami has already fallen asleep beside Luna. With the crust out of the way, Makoto makes the filling and takes her time. Exhaustion really starts to kick in when she finishes the pie and places it inside the oven to bake in the morning. Maybe she'll pretend to be sick, and skip school tomorrow. 

After cleaning up the kitchen, she folds up the recipe and tucks it into her pocket. Avoiding eye contact with the clock on the wall, she stands infront of her friends. Ami snores softly and Makoto resists the urge to take a picture. A fond smile makes it's way on her lips as she moves to pull out the spare futon.

“Just so you know Luna. I'm glad you were the one who reawakened us.” 

A soft purr echoes in the small living room and Makoto figures, yes, it's bearable to live this life alongside others. Death will just have to wait a little bit longer.


End file.
